Advanced Search

4-9-04 Oconee County MPD Ordinance were “Hatched & Birthed” in Secrecy

The first “official action” by the BOC took place at a CALLED MEETING held on Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM (GA-FLA Game Weekend) on November 1, 2002. Coincidentally, the voters of the county were preoccupied with the November 5 Alcohol Referendum and the vote on the “Big Park”. AVOC . April 8, 2004 . Oconee Sewer Policy and Dense Residential Development Just “Slipped In” Information and documentation has been made available to AVOC about the history of the drastic change in policy in Oconee County about sewer service for residential lots.Some folks lobbied for it and even helped to write the ordinances according to memorandum and minutes ofthe County Commissioners. . The subject was discussed by the full BOC at a “Retreat” in September 13-14, 2002. The consultant hired by the BOC participated. . Notes of the session reveal that at least two of the members of the BOC and the County Attorney, Daniel Haygood, were in favor of it. (See copies of the notes handwritten at the retreat and a typed transcript below. (Other documentation shows that Haygood participated in real estate transactions involving several of the developments.There will be more articles documenting this and the names of the Parties and Lenders involved. The first ‘official action’ by the BOC took place at a CALLED MEETING held on Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM (GA-FLA Game Weekend) on November 1, 2002. Coincidentally, the voters of the county were preoccupied with the November 5 Alcohol Referendum and the vote on the ‘Big Park’. (See Minutes of That Meeting Below) . The next step in the process was a CALLED MEETING of the Planning Commission on November 25, 2002, the week of Thanksgiving. It then went through some more hoops, rewritten by a committee including design planners and engineers, and was finally adopted around April 1, 2003. (See Minutes of Meeting Below) . Some early Master Planned Developments approved were Kensington Park on Malcom Bridge Road at Rocky Branch with 257 lots approved on July 11, 2003 and Creekside on Jimmy Daniell Road consisting of 207 lots approved on October 7, 2003 - all to be served with residential sewer. . To See Full List of MPD’s approved in 2003, see the following AVOC article: . 4-4-04 Oconee County MPD’s --- Smart Growth or Run Away Growth Minutes of BOC CALLED MEETING held on Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM (GA-FLA Game Weekend) on November 1, 2002 to approve MPDs - Notes of BOC at a “Retreat” in September 13-14, 2002, discussing Residential Sewer Service . BOC Retreat September 13-14, 2002 . *Page 1* . What are expectations for this retreat? Ground Rules . Don Norris 12 years on BOC, Road Map of achievements for next 5 years, Zoning Bubber Wilkes 18 years, Planning & Zoning Gary Dodd Utility Dir., Water & Sewer Mike Leonas Roads & Bridges Jon Walker Econ. Development Gina Lindsey Planning Daniel Haygood Legal WayneProvost Planning/Zoning, Bringing in new business Margaret Hale 2 years, Youth, Rec. & Public Safety MelvinDavis 2 years, Planning for growth, Balanced growth Johnny Pritchett 6 years, Water/Sewer, Balance tax load, Tax relief . Expectations- Don firm grip on zoning ordinance interpretation(who has final word?) Bubber 5 year plan for water & sewer & funding, dirt roads-priority Gary Policy for residential sewer Mike Where are we going to focus growth in next 5-10-15 years Daniel Consensus on what changes we need to planning & zoning ordinance Wayne Further define categories on ourland use plan Margaret Ways to improve communication with Commission & Staff Melvin Budget Priorities, SPLOST Priorities for future referendum Thoughts on Greenspace, Hotel/Motel tax, Land purchase, Plan B for Parks & Rec Johnny Consensus on growth & budgetary direction . Page 2 . Accomplish thru Thursday Water & Sewer Plans (Framework - Direction & Guidance) Which direction on residential sewer Where will growth be focused? Define categories on land-use plan Changes in zoning ordinance Improve communication Budget ‘priorities’ start Future SPLOSTstart Consensus on growth & budgetary Dirt roads . Ground Rules No fighting / no biting Say what’s on your mind but don’t take it personally AC down / coffee hot Don’t beat a dead horse Think outside the box Hear other opinions Staff - Tell us / Be involved Page 3 Zoning . Bill: Seems the gorilla is residential sewer.Good to growth.There is a central discussion that leads off to the other subjects. . Growth System Budget Priorities Implications (planning & codes) . Wayne: We’ll see a different character of growth if we expand residential sewer. Need to be consensus of political ramifications. You’ll open the housing market and bring a more diverse population. (Condo, townhouses, etc.) . Specific issues need to be addressed in our development related ordinances. Bill: Growth - When will we double our population?15-25 years from now. This is a good period for planning water & sewer. What’s happening in ACC (Mayor election) could effect our growth next 4 years. Right to Sewer - legal and policy issue Reserving capacity - we reserve when zoning is approved. Should we start requiring a payment to reserve capacity with a 0 time limit? Not reserve until construction plans are approved? Impact of Development on Water, Sewer, Roads Page 4 Wayne: Creekside Development/ Kensington Park condominium developments Don all for it Johnny in favor in certain areas of county Margaret need to look @ costs, geared to certain parts of the county Bubber don’t need them everywhere, but likes them a lot Concerned with roads.Likes the development. Melvin can we get ordinances & policies that allow these in certain parts of the county. Would like to see this in county. Bill you can designate on Land Use Plan Policy -you can have it under certain circumstances- What can we do to ensure these will be built @ level of quality we want? This is hard to do.You have limited control.Can have architectural standards, building standards, etc. But have to be careful of the costs of your requirements vs. the selling cost.Developer may short on quality. CONSENSUS . BOC Interested but would liketo see in certain areas of the county, i.e. location.Locations should be relocated to sewer location. Margaret Don’t want to pay for a high density development if the cost is astronomical. Individual – Private - Treatment Systems . Bill: When they fail, county is still responsible Whatever privatization goes on should be the county’s, not the developer’s Be wary Page 5 Questions . Do we really want residential sewer? . Daniel Have to allow if you have sewer capacity What strategies can you have to limit demand residential sewer? Margaret Don’t want to see 5-10 years problem for commercial sewer. How do weproject commercial demand? Set a policy or ordinance to enhance residential/commercial Melvin Buy capacity at rezoning. Revisionof land use plan for High Use Density Johnny What would be the costs? Don How would we finance? Developer puts in then we buy it? ‘Private System’ Where do we want to be 1-3-5 years? Bubber Cost and financing. Don’t want to have to deny a commercial development we want because we don’t have capacity. . **CONSENSUS . BOC** It’s ok if we have capacity but not our goal to support residential customers. We need to develop some kind of guidelines to be sure we have capacity for commercial. General Goal: OK to tie-in if capacity is available to accommodate commercial. Consensus to have a 6 month moratorium on multi-family rezoning to set policies to obtain this general goal.Bring to agenda setting meeting on 9/24/02. Wayne Suggests we put a moratorium on residential sewer until we come up withstandards.Moratorium on multi-family. Daniel We could set a 6 month moratorium on multi-family rezones What is sewer capacity going to be in: 2004?1.4m (2yr) 2006?2.4m (3 yr) 2008?3.4m (5 yr) 2013 4.4m (10 yr) $ 25.5 million cost Page 6 . To accomplish, we need money, water, planning for growth . We can’t ignore it. . We’re for having private companies come in building treatment facilities.Staff to develop ordinance with some flexibility. What are strategies to steer commercial demand? Require up front money to reserve capacity? . Staff to do recommendations and bring back to BOC. . How to protect commercial demand? Staff to work on . Costs? Look @ your top fee.(They’re so low.)Research GEFA loans. . Want to see high use density on land use plan Want to amend land use ordinance, re: sewer capacity (during moratorium) Schools Pay for Sewer? . Bill: Majority of jurisdictions, schools pay top fees Community Septic System Bill: Suggests be conveyed to County Utility Department.